


A Kitchen Full of Life

by TheMonsterIAm



Category: Ratatouille (2007)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-01
Updated: 2021-03-01
Packaged: 2021-03-13 23:41:05
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Major Character Death, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 753
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29783856
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheMonsterIAm/pseuds/TheMonsterIAm
Summary: Gusteau was right. Anyone can cook, even a dirty rat from the sewers of Paris.
Kudos: 1





	A Kitchen Full of Life

**Author's Note:**

> This was supposed to be a joke fanfic, ended up popping somewhere else.

They all watched him. The former garbage boy, the sous chef, and even the dirty rats that sat upon the tables of the kitchen. He removed his shades. But he didn't stare back, for the world looked far brighter than he recalled in his years of working under the famous Gusteau himself. When he blinked, the colors of the kitchen turned bright. And the memories began to reel. As he was younger, there was Gusteau in one end of the kitchen showing Skinner how to cut the ingredients correctly. Skinner himself, standing on a stool with a slight purple eye and minor bruises on his face after being toss around like a ragdoll out back by some cheesy school bully of his past.

He forgot his name even.

Gusteau didn't ask what happened, or who he was. But invited him into the kitchen to cook up a dish with him. Gusteau was still starting out at the time. He was such a happy, bouncy man. That was his first day on the job, Skinner recalled.

He blinked again, and this time looked over to where a couple rats were handling cheese products, but their imagery replaced with that of Skinner and Gusteau once again. This time Gusteau showing Skinner how to recognize the different scents of cheeses to use for recipes. Skinner would gag every now and again from their stink, making Gusteau laugh in memory of him doing the same himself. Skinner had no bruises by then.

By then, the memories were flowing nonstop, showing recollections of his time with Gusteau in every direction of the kitchen. They were far closer together and were beginning to overwhelm Skinner until it suddenly stopped, and turned grey in color with Gusteau slowly chopping away what appeared to be an onion in his memory. Skinner next to him trying to comfort him and explain that one man isn't enough to worry about and that they'll get the star back like nothing. Only Skinner had some coloring in the memory.

Not long after, Skinner replaced where Gusteau was with a large stool and had a similar slumped expression over an onion. There were stacks of paper bills off to the side of him that has been building since day one. He had to pay them, somehow. 

He wasn't in color anymore either.

The memories all were done, and the kitchen turned back into its setting with the rats and Alfredo watching him in horror. Skinner's expression of disbelief didn't change, but slow tears began to drop as he looked over to the same dish he ate far earlier and observed it's colors of reds and yellows. It's bright colors shown as he sees a image of Gusteau smiling next to the plate down at him, holding a ladle down to him. 

Skinner gently grabbed the ladle, and Gusteau's image disappeared to reveal Remy holding it out to him from where he sat on the closest table. Skinner blinked one last time, and the colors of the kitchen returned to him, but they were...brighter this time.

Skinner gave one look to Remy, who flinched a bit when Skinner grabbed the ladle and held it up quickly.

As they all kept watch, Skinner made a smile. "What are you all staring at? You have hungry people to feed!" He spoke out. Remy watched in shock, only to smile himself as all the rats hurried back to work. Alfredo stood by with Colette in disbelief of their own.

Skinner turned to them, "What?" He shrugged his short arms, "Anyone can cook, right?" He gave Alfredo the ladle. "Chef Gusteau knew that best..." He moved his hat, frowning to himself. He hurried to wipe his tears away. "Linguini..." He began, looking down to the ground in shame. "You're the boss now...and you better do it well! It's...It's what he would've wanted." He put his hat back on tightly. "Now, I better see a good review! Or I'll come back here...!" Skinner stopped the tough act. "...Prove Gusteau true, Chef Linguini." With a lasting smile, Skinner left the kitchen and out into the world. 

Skinner didn't came back when the review from Ego was posted. Last that was heard of him was that he took a job as a boatman, overlooking the canals of Paris. He would tell those boarding his short boats of his tale, for those willing to listen of course. Tell them of the greatest man he ever knew, and the legacy he left behind.


End file.
